Automatic reversing signal device



Oct. 4, 1938.

J. M. ROCKETT ET AL AUTOMATIC REVERSING SIGNAL DEVICE Filed March 10, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet Beryamm ilbher'wood C (es/7. Read Aiiorn Patented Oct. 4, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Joseph M. Rockett, Benjamin J. Isherwood, and Charles H. Read, Fall River, Mass.

Application March 10, 1937, Serial No. 130,208

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in trafiic and warning signals for motor vehicles, and has for its object the provision of a driven device for the purpose of making and breaking an electrical circuit to a warning signal for indicating to pedestrians and the like the intention of the operator of the vehicle to reverse the vehicle under his control.

The invention, together with its objects and advantages, will be best understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an-elevational view of the switch.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the switch.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view through the switch.

Figure 4 is a plan view of a cylinder of insulating material carrying a bridge contact forming part of the switch.

Figure 5 is an end elevational view of the contact carrying sleeve.

Figure 6 is a plan view of a shaft.

Figure '7 is an end elevational view of a collar, and

Figure 8 is a wiring diagram of a signal circuit.

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals, it will be seen that the improved switch, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, and indicated generally by the numeral 5, comprises a hexagonal casing 6 having a, cylindrical bore 1, and at one end of said bore is provided with internal threads 8, whereby said casing may be threaded onto a threaded boss 9 provided on the transmission casing of an automobile, a part of which is shown in broken line in Figure 2 and is indicated by the reference numeral [0.

Also, threaded into the end 8 of the casing 5 is a collar H which in one end is provided with sockets l2 to receive the fingers of a spanner wrench or the like to facilitate the threading of the collar ll into and out of position within the bore 1 of the casing. In this connection it will be appreciated that'the external shape of the casing is such as to readily lend itself to the threading of the end 8 of the casing on to the boss 9.

Extending axially through the casing 5 is a shaft I3 which intermediate its ends is provided with a fixed collar or flange [4, at one side of which is disposed the threaded collar H, and at the other side of which and disposed concentric to the shaft I3 is a cylindrical member l5 of insulating material confined within the casing 5 between the shaft collar 14 and an internal shoulder l6 provided within the casing 5.

At the end I! thereof the casing 5 is counterbored to provide a socket H3 in which is arranged a spring l9, one end of which bears against an end of the cylindrical member 15 normally urging the latter into frictional contact with one side of the shaft collar l4.

At one end thereof the shaft I3 is formed as at to engage in the socket end 2| of the speed- 10 ometer transmission drive shaft, a portion of which is also shown in Figure 2 and indicated by the reference numeral 22.

At its relatively opposite end the shaft I3 is provided with an axial substantially square 15 socket 23 which receives the squared end of the flexible shaft 24 that is connected directly with the speedometer (not shown).

In the wall thereof the casing 5 is provided with contact posts 25, 26 suitably insulated from the casing 5 as at 21.

The contact posts 25, 26 are provided with binding nuts 28 and as shown in Figure 8, one of the binding posts, for example, the binding post 25, is connected with one pole of a battery B through the medium of a wire 29, while the other binding post, in the present instance the binding post 26, is connected through the medium of a wire 30 with one side of an electrically operable signal device 3| which may be either 30 in the form of a lamp, electric buzzer, or the like. The other side of the signal element 3| is connected by a wire 32 with the opposite pole of the battery B, all of which is clearly disclosed in Figure 8. 5

The insulated cylinder I5 is provided in the periphery thereof with a notch or groove 33 extending longitudinally of the member l5 and secured in the notch and to one side wall of the notch is a spring contact element 33 adapted to engage the contacts 25, 26 for completing the circuit through the signal element 3| as the vehicle moves in a reverse direction. It will be noted that the groove 32 accommodates the inner ends of the contact elements 25, 26 and that through the medium of spring IS the contact carrying member I5 is in frictional contact with the collar I4 and shaft l3 so that when the vehicle is moving forwardly, or is at rest, contact 33 will be out of engagement with contacts 25, 26. However, when the vehicle moves in a reverse direction causing shaft 13 to move in a corresponding direction, drive will be transmitted from the shaft l3 to the contact carrying member l5 causing the latter to rotate with the -ventionof this'character will be had Without a more detailed description.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A switch mechanism for'a signal device, said mechanism being adapted to be interposed in the speedometer drive mechanism of an automobile for closing a signal circuit incidental to the reversing of the automobile, said switch mechanism including a casing adapted to be mounted on a suitable support, a pair of contact members mounted on the wall of the casing and insulated therefrom, said contact members having inner ends extending inwardly of the V casing, a shaft adapted to be placedrin driven engagement with the speedometer drive mechanism and extending axially through said casing, an insulated cylindrical contact carrier arranged within said casing and disposed circumjacent said shaft, said shaft being provided with a fixed collar, a spring device bearing on said contact carrier and normally urging one end of the contact carrier 'into frictional engagement With the shaft collar, said contact member being provided in the periphery thereof with a longitudinal groove accommodating the inner ends of said contact members, and a bridge contact mounted within said groove and at one'side of the latter for engaging and bridging said contacts upon reverse rotation of said shaft.

2. An automatic switch mechanism of the character described, comprising a casing, a pair of spaced apart contacts mounted on the peripheral wall of the'casing, a driven shaft rotatably mounted in said casing, an insulating member disposed within said casing circumjacent said shaft, resilient means urging said insulating member into frictional contact with the shaft to cause said insulating member to rotate with said shaft, said insulating member being provided in the periphery thereof with a groove into which said contacts extend, and a bridge contact mounted within said groove and movable with said insulated member and said shaft into and out of bridging contact with said pair of contacts.

JOSEPH M. ROCKETT.

BENJAMIN J. ISHERWOOD.

CHARLES H. READ. 

